A geothermal lithium extraction facility in Cornwall has become the first operational plant of its kind in Europe, aiming to establish a sustainable British supply of the critical mineral used in batteries and other technologies. The United Downs Deep Geothermal Power project, developed by Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL), officially launched in February after more than ten years of development and drilling in the area near Redruth.
The plant taps into the region’s naturally hot granite formations by drilling approximately 5 kilometers underground to access mineral-rich brine. This brine is pumped to the surface, cooled, and then processed to extract lithium carbonate. Lithium is a vital component in lithium-ion batteries for smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles (EVs), as well as in glass, ceramics, and welding applications. Global demand for lithium is projected to increase by 1,100% by 2035.
Tony Wilson, GEL’s chief operating officer, described the plant’s extraction process which consists of conditioning the brine to remove contaminants and adjust pH levels, absorbing lithium onto a resin, and then chemically separating the lithium to produce a white powder. He confirmed that the facility had recently met international lithium specifications, allowing the company to sell its product—marking the first lithium sales originating from the UK.
Currently, the plant can produce up to 100 tons of lithium annually, with plans underway to develop a second facility on the same industrial estate capable of producing 1,500 tons per year. GEL aims to establish three such plants by the early 2030s, each with a capacity of about 10,000 tons annually, to contribute toward the UK government’s target of 50,000 tons of domestic lithium production by 2035.
Wilson highlighted the environmental advantages of their geothermal lithium extraction method, noting it uses no additional land and recycles its water, in contrast with conventional production methods used in countries like China, Chile, Argentina, and Australia. He pointed out concerns with existing suppliers, including China's reliance on importing spodumene rock with low lithium concentration and environmentally harmful byproducts, as well as the slow, land-intensive solar evaporation techniques employed in South America.
The company recently secured £43 million to fund the second plant, which is expected to create nearly 50 direct jobs and generate further employment across the supply chain. Despite this progress, Wilson emphasized the need for governmental support to build a complete UK lithium supply chain from extraction through to finished product manufacturing. He called for increased investment akin to that seen in other countries to reduce reliance on imports, particularly from China.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has voiced support for the domestic development of lithium supplies, underscoring the strategic importance of establishing an independent and sustainable UK lithium industry. The United Downs project marks an early yet significant step toward meeting rising global lithium demand while promoting environmentally responsible resource extraction.